Tab construction for sanitary napkin

ABSTRACT

An improved tab construction for a sanitary napkin. The improved tab construction includes a narrow patch of pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of at least one tab and near the end thereof, and a relatively stiff protective cover strip covering the adhesive strip. The protective cover is longer than the adhesive patch and is positioned on the adhesive so that an unattached portion of the strip extends inwardly toward the center of the napkin. The relatively stiff cover strip is also sufficiently narrow so that it can be used to facilitate threading the tab through a fixture such as the clasp or grip normally used with napkin supporting devices. When the used napkin is to be discarded, it is rolled on itself with the soiled surface on the inside, the protective strip is removed, and the adhesive patch is pressed against the rolled up body of the napkin to hold it in the rolled condition for disposal.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Carolyn R. Mobley Appleton, Wis. [21] AppLNo. 811,169 [22] Filed Mar. 27, 1969 [45] Patented Dec. 14, 1971 [73] Assignee Kimberly-Clark Corporation Keenah, Wis.

[54] TAB CONSTRUCTION FOR SANITARY NAPKIN 3 Claims, 4 Drawing Figs.

[52] U.S. Cl 128/289, 128/290 [51] Int. Cl A61f 13/16 [50] Field of Search I Zii/289-29l [56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,742,903 4/1956 Lightner l28/290 3,454,008 7/l969 Hendricks t. 128/290 Primary Examiner-Charles F. Rosenbaum Attorney-Wolfe, Hubbard, Leydig, Voit & Osann, Ltd.

ABSTRACT: An improved tab construction for a sanitary napkin. The improved tab construction includes a narrow patch of pressure sensitive adhesive on the surface of at least one tab and near the end thereof, and a relatively stiff protective cover strip covering the adhesive strip. The protective cover is longer than the adhesive patch and is positioned on the adhesive so that an unattached portion of the strip extends inwardly toward the center of the napkin. The relatively stiff cover strip is also sufficiently narrow so that it can be used to facilitate threading the tab through a fixture such as the clasp or grip normally used with napkin supporting devices. When the used napkin is to be discarded, it is rolled on itself with the soiled surface on the inside, the protective strip is removed, and the adhesive patch is pressed against the rolled up body of the napkin to hold it in the rolled condition for disposal.

TAB CONSTRUCTION FOR SANITARY NAPKIN DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION The present invention relates generally to sanitary napkins, and more particularly, to an improved tab construction for sanitary napkins.

It is a primary object of the present invention to provide an improved sanitary napkin tab construction which facilitates both use and disposal of the napkin.

A more particular object of the invention is to provide an improved sanitary napkin tab construction of the foregoing type which facilitates threading the napkin tab through a narrow fixture, such is the small clasp or grip conventionally provided on belts for supporting such napkins on the users thereof.

Another specific object of the invention is to provide an improved tab construction which can be used to hold the napkin in a rolled condition, exposing only the unsoiled surfaces thereof, for disposal purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide such an improved sanitary napkin tab construction which can be efficiently produced on a large scale at a low cost.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the following detailed description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of a sanitary napkin having a tab construction embodying the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged section taken along line 22 in FIG.

FIG. 3 is a perspective view illustrating the use of the improved tab construction in threading the tab through a conventional belt clasp; and

FIG. 4 is a perspective view of the napkin of FIG. 1 held in a rolled condition by the tab construction provided by the invention, for disposal purposes.

While the invention is susceptible of various modifications and alternative forms, certain specific embodiments thereof have been shown by way of example in the drawings which will be described in detail herein. It should be understood, however, that it is not intended to limit the invention to the particular forms disclosed but, on the contrary, the intention is to cover all modifications, equivalents, and alternatives falling within the spirit and scope of the invention.

Turning now to the drawings, and referring first to FIG. 1, there is shown a sanitary napkin including a conventional elongated pad of absorbent material with a relatively long tab 11 extending longitudinally from one end and a relatively short tab 12 extending longitudinally from the opposite end. As will be apparent to those familiar with this art, the elongated tabs 11 and 12 are longitudinal extensions of the liquid pervious wrapper material commonly used to enclose the absorbent pad 10. The primary function of the tabs 11 and 12 is to provide a means for holding the napkin in place during use.

In accordance with the present invention, a narrow patch of pressure sensitive adhesive is provided on the surface of the relatively short tab 12 near the end thereof, and a relatively stiff protective cover strip is releasably bonded to the adhesive patch. The cover strip preferably extends beyond the end of the adhesive patch toward the central pad 10. Thus, in the illustrative embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, a narrow adhesive patch is formed on the surface of the tab 12 near the end thereof. As will be apparent from the ensuing description, the characteristics of the adhesive patch 20 must be such that it is capable of remaining firmly bonded to the tab 12 while being capable of firmly bonding or tacking the tab 12 to the pad portion of the napkin when the napkin is rolled on itself and the adhesive is pressed firmly thereagainst. Any one of a number of well-known pressure-sensitive adhesives may be used. Disposed over the pressure-sensitive adhesive patch 20 is a protective cover strip 21 which is releasably attached to the adhesive patch 20, with the attachment between the cover strip 21 and the adhesive 20 being of sufficient adhering power to hold the cover strip in place on tab 12 LII during normal handling and usage of the napkin, and particularly during the threading of tab 12 through a suitable fixture, while pennitting the cover 21 to be stripped from the adhesive 20 when the pad is ready for disposal. Cover strip material having the desired release and attachment characteristics are well known, with such material usually being provided with a release coating which permits the strip 21 to be lightly bonded to the adhesive 20, while still permitting the strip 21 to be peeled off the tab 12 without affecting the integrity of the adhesive patch 20.

In order to facilitate the threading of the tab 12 through a narrow fixture, such as the small clasp or grip that is conventionally provided on belts or other devices which are used to support the sanitary napkin on the user, both the adhesive patch 20 and the protective cover strip 21 must be relatively narrow. Thus, the width of both the adhesive patch 20 and the protective strip 21 is preferably not more than about 0.2 to 0.3 inch. Also, the protective cover strip 21 should be made of a relatively stiff material, such as a heavy paper or thick plastic film for example, so that the strip 21 can be used as an aid in threading the tab 12 through the small fixture F as illustrated in FIG. 3. More particularly, in adapting the tab 12 for threading, the user may fold the side portions 22 and 23 of the tab material transversely over the strip 21 as shown in FIG. 3. The resulting folded assembly reinforced by the strip 21 is relatively stiff, and can therefore be easily inserted through the small opening of the fastener 24.

When the napkin is ready for disposal, the user first folds the tab 11 across the soiled surface of the pad 10, and then folds or rolls the napkin as illustrated in FIG. 4 to completely enclose the soiled area. Tab 12 may then be wrapped around the rolled pad 10, by grasping the free end of the strip 21, pulling it and tab 12 in the direction shown by arrow 25 until tab 12 is in the position indicated by phantom lines 26. Cover strip 21 will be automatically stripped away from the adhesive as it is used to pull the tab 12 down against the pad so as to bring the exposed adhesive 20 into firm engagement with the tab. The adhesive 20 thus serves to bond or tack the tab 12 to the pad, holding the pad firmly in its rolled condition with the soiled surfaces on the inside for sanitary disposal.

For the purpose of facilitating the grasping of the cover strip 21 by the user, and also to facilitate the use of the strip 21 as an aid in threading the napkin tab through the fixture F, the strip 21 is substantially longer than the adhesive. Thus when the strip 21 is applied to adhesive 20, one portion of the elongate strip 21 extends beyond the adhesive patch 20 toward the central pad 10, so that the user can easily grasp the unattached end of the strip to start the rolling operation illustrated in FIG. 4 and to complete the operation as the strip 21 is finally peeled off the adhesive. While it is preferred that the cover strip 21 extend sufi'rciently far past the adhesive patch 20 to provide an easily grasped handle, it will be understood that the relative lengths of the adhesive patch 20 and protective strip 21 may vary over a relatively wide range.

In one example of the invention, a piece of two-sided pressure sensitive adhesive tape 0.25 inch wide by 0.65 inch long was attached to the surface of the short tab of a conventional KOTEX" brand sanitary napkin. The adhesive patch was centered transversely on the tab, with the end of the adhesive patch spaced about 0.50 inch longitudinally from the end of the tab. Next, a protective cover strip made of 60-pound basis weight kraft paper coated with a silicone release agent on the inner surface thereof was pressed against the exposed surface of the adhesive patch, thereby releasably bonding the cover strip to the adhesive patch. The cover strip was about 0.30 inch wide and 1.25 inch long, and it was positioned to completely cover the adhesive patch with one end of the cover in approximate registry with the edge of the adhesive nearer the free end of the tab and the inner end of the protective cover strip extending beyond the corresponding end of the adhesive patch by about 0.6 inch. The inwardly extending portion of the cover strip thus provided a convenient handle for use in peeling the cover strip off the adhesive. When the side portions of the napkin tab were folded over the cover strip as illustrated in FIG. 3, it was found that the resulting folded tab assembly could be easily threaded through a conventional belt grip having an elongate, tapered opening about 0.50 inch wide at its widest portion. Furthermore, when the soiled napkin was rolled up after use the soiled portion on the inside as illustrated in FIG. 4, it was found that the free end of the cover strip could be easily gripped to peel the cover strip off the adhesive while pulling the napkin tab down tightly against the pad portion of the napkin, thereby tacking the tab to the pad portion of the napkin to hold the napkin in the rolled condi- "On.

While the invention has been described in the above exampie with specific reference to separate application of a twosided adhesive tape and a protective cover strip, it will be appreciated that the adhesive patch 20 and the protective cover strip 21 may be applied to the napkin tab in a number of different ways. For example, a pressure-sensitive adhesive coating in the desired shape may be printed directly on the tab before applying the protective cover; or the adhesive may be applied to the protective cover and then adhered to the tab. Also while the preferred embodiment described in the specification and illustrated in the drawings shows a sanitary napkin with one short and one long tab and with the adhesive patch and cover applied to the short tab, the latter may be applied to the long tab with satisfactory results. ln addition, the tabs themselves may be of substantially equal length. Other modifications of the illustrative product may also be devised within the scope of the invention, such as providing the adhesive patch and the protective cover strip on both tabs instead of only one tab.

I claim as my invention:

1. In combination, a sanitary napkin supportive device provided with a fastener having an opening to receive and hold a I sanitary napkin; and a sanitary napkin comprising an elongated pad of absorbent material, an elongated tab extending longitudinally from each end of said pad, a narrow patch of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the surface of one of said tabs near the end thereof, and an elongated stiff protective cover strip extending lengthwise on said tab end and releasably bonded to said adhesive patch, said protective cover strip having a width which is a fraction of the width of said tab end, and less than the width of said fastener opening on said supportive device,- so that the sides of said tab end can be folded over the protective cover strip to provide a tab end reduced in width, stiffened by said protective cover strip and adapted thereby to facilitate the threading of said tab end through the fastener opening; the protective cover strip further providing .for rendering the adhesive patch operable, after the sanitary napkin has been soiled and removed from the supportive device, by peeling the protective cover strip away from said adhesive patch to provide for the securing of the tab end of said soiled sanitary napkin after said sanitary napkin has been formed into a roll.

2. A sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protective cover strip extends beyond the end of said adhesive patch towardsaid pad and wherein said protective cover strip and said adhesive patch are in the center of the sanitary napkin tab end.

3. A sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tab at one end of said pad is shorter than the tab at the other end, and said adhesive patch and protective cover strip are provided on the surface of the shorter tab.

0 i i Q i 

1. In combination, a sanitary napkin supportive device provided with a fastener having an opening to receive and hold a sanitary napkin; and a sanitary napkin comprising an elongated pad of absorbent material, an elongated tab extending longitudinally from each End of said pad, a narrow patch of pressure-sensitive adhesive on the surface of one of said tabs near the end thereof, and an elongated stiff protective cover strip extending lengthwise on said tab end and releasably bonded to said adhesive patch, said protective cover strip having a width which is a fraction of the width of said tab end, and less than the width of said fastener opening on said supportive device, so that the sides of said tab end can be folded over the protective cover strip to provide a tab end reduced in width, stiffened by said protective cover strip and adapted thereby to facilitate the threading of said tab end through the fastener opening; the protective cover strip further providing for rendering the adhesive patch operable, after the sanitary napkin has been soiled and removed from the supportive device, by peeling the protective cover strip away from said adhesive patch to provide for the securing of the tab end of said soiled sanitary napkin after said sanitary napkin has been formed into a roll.
 2. A sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 wherein said protective cover strip extends beyond the end of said adhesive patch toward said pad and wherein said protective cover strip and said adhesive patch are in the center of the sanitary napkin tab end.
 3. A sanitary napkin as set forth in claim 1 wherein the tab at one end of said pad is shorter than the tab at the other end, and said adhesive patch and protective cover strip are provided on the surface of the shorter tab. 